Darmian entered AC Milan's youth academy at the age of 14 and trained with Milan legend Paolo Maldini, who was 36 at the time. Darmian is quick to dismiss any similarities between him and the five-time Champions League winner but he certainly shows flashes of the Italian's composure, tackling and accuracy. The 25-year-old told Fifa.com: "When I was younger, I got the chance to train with him. It's too flattering a comparison for me. It's too early."
NCTJ-accredited football writer with an MA in Sports Journalism. What Culture football editor. Write for the official Newcastle United programme. Former video reporter at North News. Featured and published in the Sunderland Echo, Shields Gazette, Mail Online, The Mirror, The Sun and others.
